Sadness Takes Its Toll
by JRedd7272
Summary: Sensitive or not, Aaliyah always has problems that always leads her to an emotional state. All she wants is comfort. And she'll have to look at her friends, who always have something to help her out with.


**Just a small Aaliyah one shot that I thought of during the last week of summer, before school started. And it'll even introduce a new character. Not by appearance. But for now, just by voice.**

**Let's get this show on the road, boys. Enjoy! :)**

* * *

***scene: a park, 5:30 PM***

Inklings were all around this wide, grassy area. It was a nice spot for many people to hang out at. Not too crowded, and there was always something to do when coming to this park.

Footsteps can be heard, and the camera zooms by a little. Aaliyah has just arrived at the park. She changed her normal outfit, which was consisting of a lavender shirt, and a Squid-Stitch cap on her head. She kept her cream shoes on, though.

"Hey, Caleb. You coming?" Aaliyah giggled as she turned around. As soon as she said that, Caleb comes right to her side. He was wearing his casual outfit, since wearing his gear from the Metro wouldn't be the most comfortable.

"What is this place?" Caleb asked.

"It's one of the biggest parks around Inkopolis. I've only been here twice." Aaliyah replied.

"Was that with the outfit you have on right now?" Caleb assumed.

"I only wear the hat to hide my tentacles. The shirt was one that I've worn for a while. I see why you see me as a different person." Aaliyah explained.

"Ahh, okay." Caleb said.

"Oh, look who it is!" A male voice cheered. Aaliyah and Caleb look front of them. They notice that Joel and David were running to them.

"Hi, Aaliyah! And Caleb!" David greeted.

"Came to the park to relax?" Joel assumed.

"Just for a bit. I've rarely been here, and it feels nice, considering that it's pretty nice outside today." Aaliyah said with a smile.

"I came along to see what she knows about this place." Caleb added.

"Cool. I'm heading to Shellendorf Institute soon, with Redd's sister. David is coming along. We could use a few extra pals." Joel suggested.

"N... No thanks..." Aaliyah mumbled.

"But why not?" Joel exclaimed. Caleb looks at Aaliyah, confused and concerned.

"W-Well, it's just-" Aaliyah started. But then a soccer ball hits her left cheek. Nothing was broken or bleeding. It just caused a small bruise.

"Hey, watch where you're standing, Octoling!" A rude Inkling boy yelled.

"W-What?" Aaliyah mumbled, "B-But it's not my fault, I-I just-"

"I DON'T CARE!" The male screamed at her. Aaliyah quietly gasped, and then she closes her eyes. Then she walks away, leaving the park, and not bothering to turn back to anyone.

David looked sad, so he tried to walk up to her.

"Let her be. We know how she is." Joel suggested. David just looks at his orange pal and nods. Caleb also felt bad.

"I'll come along with you. I... want to give Aaliyah some space." The eighth Agent said.

"Alright, let me do the plans, and tell them you're coming along." Joel responded, and then pulls out his squid phone.

* * *

***scene: back at Aaliyah's apartment, 7:00 PM***

Aaliyah lays down on her bed, just staring at one of her walls. Being around crowds is the one thing she never wants in her life. Going there wasn't gonna make things any better...

Her bedroom door opens, and Chany comes inside.

"Hey, Aaliyah! Are you ready to come to Shellendorf Institute?" She cheered happily.

"I... I'm not going..." Aaliyah mumbled.

"But why not?" Chany asked.

"I... don't want to.." Aaliyah replied, her voice still quiet. But her sentence WAS spoken just a little louder. Not by much, though.

"But _why _don't you want to go?" Chany exclaimed, getting a little frustrated. Aaliyah just waves her hand around in a 'meh' formation, looking a little uncomfortable as she did that.

Aaliyah wasn't too keen on speaking too much. Which is what her closest friends understood about her. AND why she uses hand motions at times when trying to explain something to someone.

"I don't understand the hand motions thingys, Aaliyah." Chany said. Aaliyah just quietly stammered, not finding the right words in this predicament.

"..." Silence was all that was in her head right now.

"Come on, Aaliyah! All your friends are coming along! Mia is coming, Jay is, and Caleb as well!" Chany insisted.

"I-I know, b-but..." Aaliyah said quietly.

"But what?" Chany asked.

"I... I just don't want to." Aaliyah admitted.

"I don't understand," Chany sighed, "You're going to be around your friends. And is it just because you don't want to be around them? Is that why you don't wanna come along for the trip?"

"N-No. I'm not comfortable around people." Aaliyah blurted out, "Being around other people sometimes makes me uncomfortable. Being a shy, antisocial girl, it's hard for me to get used to that."

"But we're not 'other people'. We're your friends." Chany reminded.

"Anyone that isn't me is considered other people..." Aaliyah muttered.

"Well, I'm gonna start leaving. Next time we plan to go somewhere, you aren't gonna have a choice." Chany said angrily. Aaliyah was confused on why Chany would suddenly say that to her.

"Chany." Another female voice says. Chany and Aaliyah turn to the door. And they see that Mia steps inside.

"Don't force Aaliyah to come to the trip if she doesn't wanna go." Mia demanded.

"But she could really help out! We're all girls, and it'd be nice to hang out! All three of us!" Chany exclaimed.

"Just take some time for her to get used to it. If it's a bother, I'LL handle it." Mia offered.

"Alright. I just really wanted all of us to be together for a bit." Chany said in a concerned tone.

"I understand, Chany," Mia responded, "But just don't forget that Aaliyah is sensitive. So yelling at her is just gonna make things worse. Trust me, I've learned that the hard way."

"I'm gonna get ready. I'll talk to Ali via my phone later after the trip is over." Chany said. Then she leaves the door. Mia then steps inside the room, and closes the door.

"You've heard all of that, right?" Mia teased while smirking.

"I was right next to you." Aaliyah replied.

"It's crowds, isn't it? For the reason you're not coming along?" Mia assumed.

"Y-Yeah. You know that my social anxiety kicks in when people surround me..." Aaliyah admitted, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Sure. I see why you don't wanna go. But, allow me to let you in on something." Mia said as she sits down on the bed, next to Aaliyah. The innocent Octoling was confused, so she turns her head to the third agent, curiosity rising up.

"I'm not truly gonna go to the Institute just for the history. I already know much history from school, and from the Octarian stories that my father told me." Mia explained.

"So... why are you coming?" Aaliyah asked.

"Well, when no one's looking, I'm gonna draw on my sketchbook for a bit. I have to practice this to get better if I want to be a good anime drawer." Mia continued.

"But... wouldn't you get in trouble? Since people can be very strict?" Aaliyah questioned, feeling concerned as she kept talking.

"Tsk tsk. Not if you don't get caught." Mia replied while tilting her pointer finger side to side.

"Erm... but you would... n-necessarily be prepared if... someone caught you... r-right?" Aaliyah stammered.

"Heh. I'd get my a** beat if someone caught me." Mia responded while shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh..." Was all that Aaliyah said in response.

"Look, Ali. Just because a rough past happened doesn't mean it should haunt you forever," Mia explained, "I mean, _I _didn't always have good moments as a child. Especially during my teen years, starting at 14 years old. But then I became Agent 3, and... my life just got better from there."

"So... w-what are you t-trying to say...?" Aaliyah asked.

"My theme here is... stick to what you love. When you focus on that, life will be easier." Mia confessed.

"Oh.. I-I see..." Aaliyah said.

"I'm gonna go now, Ali. Stay cool, alright?" Mia said with a smile and a wink, similar to what Redd's would look like. Aaliyah was actually surprised, since Mia's wink and grin looked like Redd's.

"H-Hey, er... I'm gonna be honest here, but... when your grinned, a-and winked your left eye... you kinda looked like Redd." Aaliyah said quietly.

"He's always on the positive side nowadays. We ARE twins, after all. That's why it looked similar." Mia chuckled. She walks to the door, and turns to Ali one more time, while waving. Aaliyah waves back, and then Mia leaves, closing the door on her way out.

Aaliyah just looks down. Sadness comes at a huge price.

* * *

***later on, 8:30 PM***

The lights were out in Aaliyah's room. She wasn't inside, but the hallway lights were. She DID stay up just for a little bit trying to convey her thoughts.

After a couple minutes, Aaliyah comes back in her room, wearing her pink pajamas. She knew Caleb wouldn't come up and say good night to her since he was with the rest of the squids at Shellendorf Institute.

Aaliyah walks to her desk and grabs her octo phone, taking it out of the charger. She opened up her contacts app, and looks at the menu for a bit. After a second of looking, she clicks on one specific contact.

Ali looked at the profile picture for the contact, and that one was an Inkling girl with light skin, and blue hair with pigtails. And the girl also had freckles on her cheeks.

"I wonder how's she's doing..." Aaliyah thought. So she clicked on the call button. She puts the phone near her ear, sits down on the bed, and waits patiently.

A couple seconds pass by, and the person already picked up.

_"Hello?"_ A female's voice was heard. And Aaliyah could tell that this person was an Inkling, judging by her voice, and the language that she was speaking in.

Aaliyah tried to say hello, but she realized that she was talking in Octarian, her native language. So she clears her throat a bit, then shudders as she spoke.

"H... H-Hi, Tina..." She greeted, her voice quiet, but talking in the right language.

_"Oh, Aaliyah! Great to hear from you again!"_ The girl, known as Tina, exclaimed happily. Her last sentence was spoken in Octarian. Aaliyah had a sympathetic look, since she knew Tina was fluent in both the Inkling AND Octarian languages.

"S... Same here..." Aaliyah mumbled, now talking in Inkling.

_"How are you doing, sweetie? How's Inkopolis?"_ Tina asked, now speaking in Inkling language only.

"It's... not bad. I... made some friends in the Square.." Aaliyah admitted.

_"That's wonderful! So you have someone to be with you in case of hard times!"_ Tina cheered.

"I-It's not the same as yours, Tina.." Aaliyah slightly giggled before looking concerned again.

_"Aw, shucks. You're just saying stuff."_ Tina laughed.

"S-So... w-what are you doing?" Aaliyah asked, raising one eyebrow.

_"Ah, all the kids at the orphanage fell asleep. So now I'm in my free time. Probably gonna head back upstairs and just lay down for a bit."_ Tina explained.

"Oh. That's good.." Aaliyah said.

_"Yeah, I know. Someone has to be there for them, since their parents either died, or just abandoned them."_ Tina replied.

"I don't like parents who just leave their children..." Aaliyah confessed, while looking down.

_"Ugh, I know! Same with abusive parents! Like, they're just CHILDREN! Give them some space!"_ Tina ranted.

"That, too.." Aaliyah said.

_"So, what are some friends that you made recently?"_ Tina asked.

"I... I don't really wanna tell..." Aaliyah said quietly.

_"Huh? But why not, sweetie?"_ Tina questioned, already feeling bad for her.

"I-It's just... I can't fit in with them..." Aaliyah replied. Tears formed in her eyes as she kept on speaking. She thought about the moment when Chany convinced her to come. Little did that really work out.

_"Fit in? Aaliyah, I think you misunderstand."_ Tina said sadly.

"I-I know, but... c-crowds make me u-uncomfortable..." Aaliyah exclaimed as her voice was breaking. Lots of tears were flowing down like a waterfall. Talking about this was too much for the poor little Octoling to handle.

_"Social anxiety?"_ Tina assumed.

"I can't do everything that my friends do. I... I'm just... to n-nervous to go with them..." Aaliyah said. She tried to speak some more, but all that came out were stammers and random babbles.

Soon, Aaliyah started to cry, not bothering to wipe her tears away. She puts her phone down and sets it on speaker mode, since she doesn't have energy to even hold the phone up, thanks to her crying.

_"Huh? Aaliyah, are you crying?"_ Tina asked. Aaliyah just whimpered while nodding, and just kept on crying. Tina, of course, didn't notice the nod, since they were only calling. But she does understand the whimper.

_"Just remember what I told you when you were still a little girl. Whenever you need to cry, just let it all out."_ Tina said.

"I-I k-know, *sniff* but... people just... *hiccup* think of me as a weakling." Aaliyah sobbed.

_"Don't listen to those people. Think about what your friends would say. They would think otherwise."_ Tina responded.

"O-Okay... *sniffle* I... I understand..." Aaliyah said quietly.

_"Alright, sweetie. I have to go now. Mike needs me for something important."_ Tina giggled.

"Oh, Mike. Hee hee, you know him well." Aaliyah chuckled as she wipes her tears away.

_"Sure do. Let's talk another time, sweetie. Good night!"_ Tina said.

"Bye, Tina." Aaliyah replied. And then the call ends. Aaliyah just looks behind herself. All she can really do is cry. For most situations she had to go through... all she could really try to do is cry, since no other options came to her mind.

Aaliyah scrolled through her contacts some more. Then she clicks on Redd's contact, and calls him. This time, since all her tears are away, she holds her phone up to her air.

The call was accepted almost immediately.

_"Hey, Ali!"_ Redd greeted.

"Hi, Redd. What are you doing?" Aaliyah asked.

_"Ah, I was about to do a couple Turf War matches at this time of night,"_ Redd replied, _"Since tomorrow's the weekend, I gotta get prepared. What are you up to?"_

"Just gonna go to bed. But... I want to tell you something." Aaliyah muttered.

_"What's up?"_ Redd asked.

"So... when you stick to what you love... did it make your life easier?" Aaliyah questioned.

_"Heck yeah it did!"_ Redd cheered, _"Not only because becoming Agent 4, but also being the leader of a music group, splatting people in battles, AND just hanging out with friends... it was perfect! And plus, being positive about things makes people happy! That's always what I strive for!"_

"Oh. I just can't do anything but cry, since I don't know what else to do.." Aaliyah admitted.

_"Aw, don't be like that. You just get emotional easily. It's nothing to be ashamed of."_ Redd said.

"So... is it okay if I watch your matches?" Aaliyah asked.

_"Turn on your TV. You'll see me as soon as possible."_ Redd replied. And Aaliyah could tell that Redd was grinning as usual. Aaliyah keeps the call on, but she walks to her living room and turns on the TV.

She'll soon notice Redd when he starts his matches. Maybe looking at him could make her feel better.

* * *

**Author's Note: And that's the one shot. Next up, more of Inkopolis Chaos, so I can just finish the gosh-darn story. XD**

**That's all for today, dudes! Stay Fresh! :D**


End file.
